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Saturday, April 30, 2016

I've used this pattern twice before, once with 3/4 sleeves and once with short sleeves. The short sleeve version was purged awhile back because the ties were really long and didn't look very good tied into a bow, but the silk jersey version is a nice basic that gets worn to church from time to time.

Since I wanted more of a casual look and didn't want to tie the scarf into a bow, I cut the scarf shorter and on the fold. I cut a size T and made fabric facings for the armholes. A twin needle was used to hem the armholes and bottom hem.

This fabric has a subtle metallic sheen to it. I'm kind of a Magpie when it comes to fabric selection. If it's shiny or brightly colored my brain says, "Oooh, pretty! Come to Mama!"

This top match a ton of stuff in my closet and acts like a neutral. The skirt I'm wearing was made pre-blog, but I posted it way back in 2008. I recently lopped off 2 inches so I could wear it with flats in a casual setting. I'm all about the flats these days.

Here are some dressform pictures:

This was a fun and simple top to whip up. I have several other things to photograph and blog, provided I can get my photographer to cooperate. ;)

Note: This fabric was purchased with my Mood Fabrics monthly allowance, as part of my participation in the Mood Sewing Network.

Monday, April 4, 2016

I'm eight years late to the party with this pattern from 2008. It's a designer pattern from DKNY and is still in print. I don't think knit wrap dresses ever go out of style. This dress is drafted to be quite a bit longer, but I wanted more of a casual look, so I cut it out to fall right below the knee.

The fabric was an impulse buy from JoAnn's and is a rayon/polyester blend. I rarely get fabric there anymore but I was running in during a pattern sale and stopped in my tracks when I spotted it. The colors are SO saturated and practically glow in person. I'd never seen anything like it.

After doing some pattern research on patternreview.com, I decided to cut the size 8. My typical Vogue size in knits is a 10, so this design runs a little big. I added 1.5" to the length of the bodice before cutting out my fabric. The belt is drafted to sit above the waistline which I didn't want, and I have a long torso.

The pattern of the fabric looked random when I bought it but when I went to cut it out I found that there was a definite line of symmetry down the middle. Luckily I had purchased enough to accommodate this mirroring.

I added 3/8" clear elastic to the neckline to prevent any gapping. I can bend over and grab things without exposing anything so that decision was a total win. The armholes are finished with shaped facings included with the pattern which I quite like. There is also a piece of elastic sewn under the belt which keeps the dress right at the waist. This fabric is white on the wrong side, so my belt was stitched right sides together and turned, which also saved me from having to topstitch on a single layer of knit.

I enjoy wearing comfortable day dresses during the summer, and I'm happy to add another one to my wardrobe. I will definitely be using this pattern again in the future. Now that I've got the fit down and have more experience with putting elastic in necklines, the next one should be a really quick project.